Why was Jesus baptized?

This is
a question or much interest, and has
been studied by the writer long and
cardully. Modifying some former
views, but reasserting others, he
now proposes to demonstrate the
truth by the teachings of God's
word.
The proposition that Jesus was
baptized as a preparation for being
anointed to active duties of his
priestly office is here to be
maintained and demonstrated.
1. The law of that priesthood in
which the types and symbols of the
priesthood of Jesus were found.
Then compare the circumstances
found in the baptism of Jesus, and
what preceded and followed.
a. In Exodus 28, Aaron and his
sons of the tribe of Levi are chosen
to be God's priesthood; and the
succession passes from father to son
throughout their generations. See
Ex. 29., I Chron. 6:48-49, etc.
b. The priest, entering upon his
official duties, was consecrated with
priest was set apart to active duty at
about thirty years of age. "And Jesus
himself began to be about thirty
years of age: when he came to John
for baptism.
c. Immediately after the baptism;
he was anointed. The Scriptures
declare that, as soon as he was
baptized, the Holy Ghost descended
upon him, and God accepted him.
He was "anointed with the Holy
Ghost and with power." CActs 4:27,
10:38) The anointing oil of the Old
Testament was the ushadow;u here
was the "substance. It And it is
Jesus certainly was never a
diSciple of John the Baptist, as
another theory would make
him, in regarding him with
the same baptism administered
to others. 'John forbade him,
saying, I have need to be
\!\Ihy \!\Ius JeSUS Buptizedl
evident that until this
occurrence Jesus performed
no priestly work. We have no
hint of his before acting in
baptized of thee; and comest
thou to mel" And not until the
command, "Suffer it to be so
now," was given. with the reason,
"for thus it becometh us to fulfil all
righteousness," did John yield. Who
were the "us" herel John and Jesus -
none others. Now it is accepted by
all, that this phrase, "thus it
becometh us to fulfil all
righteousness," means, thus it is
right and proper, or needful, to
conform to what is required by law.
Jesus said, Matt. 5:17, "Think not
that I am come to destroy the law or
the prophets. I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil."
In being baptized he deemed it
necessary to conform to some law
touching this act; some law
demanding his baptism. "It
becometh us;' that is, "it is needful
for us to do this." It was no act of
mere decorum, but something
necessary under the circumstances -
legally necessary. In Heb 7:26, the
same word is used, "Such an High
Priest became us." The baptism was
a legal necessity. Then what was the
law making it sol Certain
remarkable circumstances point to
the law touching priestly
consecration. We search in vain for
any other, answering to the case. In
order that this may be seen, note:
Herbert H. Hawes
holy anointing oil. But preparatory
to this anointing, he must be
clothed in splendid garments, and
"washed with water" at the door of
the tabernacle in the presence of all
the people. These latter ceremonies
were not the consecration, but
preparatory to it. The anointing,
which was the consecration to
office, followed. See Ex. 29, 40, etc.
Thus the priest was "hallowed" or
"sanctified" to minister in his office.
c. The Levites entered and held
office Cas already shown) from
twenty-five to fifty years of age. But
the priesthood proper was held by
Aaron and sons exclUSively, from
thirty to fifty years of age. Such was
the Levitical law. Now note:
2. The points in which Jesus
answers to this.
a. That he was a priest, need not
be argued. The word of God leaves
no room for doubt. As "the man
Christ Jesus," he is our High Priest.
b. In this, human nature and at
just the legal priestly age, he came
to be baptized. (Luke 3). There is
Significance in Luke's expression:
"Jesus himself" CLuke 3:23). The
official character at all,
anywhere.
d. He was appropriately
clothed, also. Isaiah 49:10,
"For he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation; he hath
adorned me with the robes of
righteousness, as a bridegroom
decketh himself with ornaments;
and as a bride adorneth herself with
jewels." It is noteworthy that this
chapter begins with the words: "The
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because he hath anointed me," etc."
It was prophetic of Matt. 3:15,
which records the descent of the
Spirit upon Jesus after his baptism.
We know also that Jesus applied
Isaiah's prophecy to his work on
earth, and declared it therein
fulfilled. See Luke 4.
So this same prophet, afterwards
looking upon Jesus coming to his
work. exclaimed: "Who is this that
is glorious in his apparel!" Thus the
splendid furnishing of Aaron was
but symbolical of the better
furnishing of the better Priest. Thus
in every point Jesus answered to his
types.
e. The appointment of Jesus to
the priesthood, was as definite as
was Aaron's, and as truly in
subjection to the divine will. In
August/September, 1998 'I THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon '1 15
Heb. 5:4-5, we read: "No man
taketh this honor unto himself, but
he (tiiketh it) that is 'called of God,
as was Aaron. So also Christ
glOrified not himself to be made a
High Priest; but he (that is, God,
thus glorified him) that "..idunto
him: Thou are my son; today have I
begotten thee. As he saith also in
anothetplace': Thou art a priest
forever, after the order of
MeichiSedec." N ow here we see the
inspired teaching that jesus did not
assume the priesthood of his own
motion; that he did not glorify
himself, but,that Goo glOrified him
him; all?, finally, that .
God chose thiS ,diVine Priest from .
another order of priesthood. Again
we read, Heb. 3:2: "Who ,was , '
faithful to him that appointed hil\l
(to, the priesthood), as Moses also
was faithful in all hiS house;" in the
duties to which he (Moses) was
appointed. With such teachings as
these, the appointment is
undeniable. ps. no., Heb.
7:16,17,21,28. jesus was as really
appointed 0'( God, as were Moses
arid Aaron. '
f. Th" .time of this appointment
is alsq ,pO,sitively fixed by the word
of;QOd. In Heb. 7:28, we read: "The
law maketh men (referring to the
Levites) priests, which have .
but the word.of the oath ,
which was since the law maketh the
son' (a pnest) who is consecrated:
forevermore." Here we are told that
"the word 'of the oath" whiCh made
jesus a priest, was "since the law"
which maOe the Levites priests; ano
that thiS new Priest is neVer tp be
succeeOeO by others . being
consecrateo.forevermore."
Now what are the facts of
history? The. LeVitical law was given
at Mt. Sinai nearly 1500 years
before Jesus came in the flesh. The
"worO of the oath" is oeclareo by
the Psalmist (Ps. 2 and 11 0) B.c.
1030 or 1015. Let us say 1030 years
before Christ was born. It is, thus
seen that hiS formal appointment to
the priestly office occurred until after God had anointeO him
(humanly speaking) about +70 with the Holy Ghost anO with
years after the law appOintment for power! IIi all these things he .
the Levitical order - the difference responded fully to the demandS 'of
between 1500 and 1030 being'470, law upon priests, and, as it
It was God's act done aftelIhe ' him," fulfilled all righteousnessl Not
giving,of the law. So the Scriptures one poitit of importance is inisslng.
show. Therefore it is proven. But by We notice, further. that God's
this, we do not understand that God declaration, quoted in Heb. 5:5-6,
had any new thought or plan. What "Thou art my son, tboay have I .
he does is always of his eternal begotten thee: stands in tmmediate
counsels. But until he makes the relation to the words, "Thou art a
revelation, we can say and know priest forever, after the order of
nothing"we cannot iun ahead of his Melchisedec." The two Sayings
revelation, nor go batkof it. belong one to another.
Therefore we cannot go beyond his
declaration to find the appointment ' Again, God's declaration (Matt.
ofjesu
s
to the priesthood. III. God's , 3:17): "This is my belove\f son In
e.ternal counseLs, he Was to be . whom I am well pleased;" stands in
. Priest. But for us, he is Priest only ' ' . . immediate. relation to God's act of
after God:s fOrinal revelation of the . an6intingjesus after hiS baptism.
appointm
e
nt.!"s.:2 and 110. . The first of these sayings is God's
recognition of hiS chosen Priest. The
Therefore it is right to Say, God second is God's recognition of his
appointed Him to be Priest; and anointed Priest. He first appoinied
here the date is fixed. The him; then accepted him; then.
expression is scriptaral and covenanted -til abide by all that his '
prophetic. THUs, about 500 years Priest would do'in the work to
before Christ, Zechariah (6:13) which he had just anointed him.
made prophecy: "He shall be Priest
upon his throne." Thus we see that the practical
working c;>f Christ's. appointment did
g. So too the anointing of jesus not i)egin. until after he had taken
is a matter of.prophecyand . hiS.position on earth' as a inano, (
revelation.
priestly age. What, he did during the
Among the things to beooneon preceding part of this earthly life,
earth af\er the lapse of a certain time ' we do not entirely know. (Mark
was this - "to anoint the most holy." . 6:3) But until the priestly age of
(Dan. 9:24-26) The at6ningdeath of thirty years, he evidently did 11.0
jesus is also declared in thiS priestly work. And in all this is great
connection. Now the facts 'Of history significance. It is also remarkable
correspond to this. For in "the that Matthew is the only'writer who
fulness of time" jesus was anointed, was particular to record th<;words,
and afterwards put to death. He was i "Tlius it becometh us to fulfil all
both priest imd sacrifice, which no righteousness. fie wrote for the
other priest could be, Thus,as jews specially, (though himself a
Aaron (the type of Christ) was native Gaiilean,) and seems to have
appointed before he was anointed, been conscious that these jews
and anointed before he ministered " would be quic!< to take exception to
in his priestly office, so was it with. any rieglected law-points. Therefore,
our great High Priest,jesus Christ. guided by the Holy Spirit, he was
Note: careful to show.that this in-coming
,He did no active priestly work priest acted in conformity to
until his incarnation; nor then, until law, .The of this recoro,
he attained to priestly age; nor then, therefore,. is, that jesus was lawfully
until he was baptized; nor the,n, inducted into office. The advocates
COUNSEL of AUg1IstlSejJlember, 1998
of the theory of "baptism as an
unredeemed first-born," say, "Jesus
Christ was really and truly man, as
well as really and truly God. As
man, he was a Jew, 'made of a
woman, made under the law: and
was therefore bound, and as much
subject to law as any other man
under law. He was bound to do and
perform whatever the law reqUired
of him, just as any other man
Similarly situated. --Then as his
baptism was to fulfil all
righteousness, or in other words to
comply with the law which
required it, the question to be
settled is, what law reqUired
it, and was fulfilled by his
baptism?" We think this
question fully answered in
this artide. In our search we
are able to find conformity to only
one law requiring the application of
water to Jesus; viz., the law for
priestly consecration. And we have
seen that the anointing of Jesus.
whiCh followed the use of water,
was not only prophesied to occur
on earth, but that it did so occur at
the priestly age at Jordan after his
baptism. His whole conduct up to
the age of thirty years, was certainly
that of a priest awaiting this legal
age, at which time he could receive
his consecration to active duty in
conformity to law.
Let us now look upon this
Priest:
1. He was really and truly man.
I Tim. 2:52: "The man, Christ
Jesus." Heb. 8:3: "It is of necessity
that this man have somewhat to
offer." This human nature was
necessary to the work, for without it
Jesus could not execute the duties
of his office; could not offer the
reqUired sacrifice - himselfl
Therefore the nature of this Priest is
carefully set forth in the Scriptures.
The divine nature gave merit to all
that the human nature did. The
work of the God-man was perfect.
There was also purpose in his
becoming man. "Wherefore in all
things it became him to be made
like unto his brethren" (the seed of
Abraham) "that he might be a
merciful and faithful High Priest in
things pertaining to God, to make
reconciliation for the sins of the
people." (Heb. 2:16,11) This
teaches that, as God only, he could
not execute the functions of his
priestly office. If not also man, he
could not be such a High Priest as
was needful. "Since the law' he was
appointed, the Scriptures say, His
work, then, belonged to time and
earth, in making the "reconciliation
for the sins.of the people." During
time and upon earth, "being made
perfect, he became the .author of
eternal salvation unto all them that
obey him." (Heb 5:9). Next-
2. Notice the order of his
priesthood. (a) It was not Levitical,
but, "Thou art a priest forever, after
the order of Melchisedec." (Heb.
5:6). Melchisedec was both priest
and king. (Heb. 7:1,2) The Levitical
law forbade this. 2 Chron. 26 shows
that Uzziah, a king, was punished
for intruding upon priestly duties . .
But God appointed the Prophet-
King, Christ Jesus, a Priest-King
also. The control of the law was in
the hands of God, to make, to
change, or to repeal it. In the case of
Melchisedec and of Jesus, the
immediate choosing and
constituting of the priests was of
God. (Heb. 7:3). The likeness was,
(1) neither had predecessors nor
successors in office; (2) nor is the
termination of their priesthood
recorded; and (3) both were priests
by extraordinary appointment. So
far as history speaks, Melchisedec
"abideth a priest continually:'
"having neither beginning of days
nor end of life, but made like unto
the Son of God." And the Priest,
Jesus, "because he continueth ever,
hath an unchangeable priesthood."
Heb. 7 explains this fully. Also, (b)
this Priest, Jesus, was superior to
every other. The Epistle to the
Hebrews is full of this doctrine. His
consecration and work, his person
and anointing, were all infinitely
superior, as was also his tenure of
office. Forever, he is the perfection
of all that was foreshadowed in the
types and symbols before his
incarnation; as much great than all
preceding him as the Holy Spirit
(with which he was anointed,
and in the power of which he
did all his works) was greater
than the anointing oil used
upon Aaron and his
successors. The "first
tabernacle," before which
Aaron stood to be anointed with
that oil, was but "a figure for the
time then present" of the "greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands," before which
Jesus stood to be anointed with the
Holy Spirit. There God accepted
and anointed his chosen Priest. See
Heb. 9 for full explanations. Finally:
3. We note difficulties in this
theory. a. The law forbade any but a
Levite to be a priest; therefore
forbade Jesus, who "sprang out of
Judah." But Reb. 7 shows that when
God changed the order ~ the
priesthood, he also changed this
law. See verse 12. "For the
priesthood being changed, there is
made of necessity a change of the
law also." This seventh chapter of
Hebrews is a complete answer to
this objection. It is an inspired
commentary upon Christ's
appointment to the priesthood. Ps.
2 and llO. In verse 15 the apostle
teaches that "it is yet far more
changed, because another priest
after the similitude of Melchisedec
ariseth, "who is made (priest) not
after the law of a carnal
commandment, (as the Levites
were,) but after the power of an
endless life." And (verse 18) to
provide for this, "there is verily a
AugUst/September, 1998 t THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 17
disannulling of the canunandment
(ar law) gaing befare: etc. 1
b. It is abjected that the idea af
an earthly cansecratian lawers jesus
to. the level af huinan priests. But
this abjection smites at Gad! He
made jesus afa waman; made him
: - t
under the law; guided him fram
Bethlehem to. J arda'n, and there
cansecrated him by anainting him
with the Haly Spirit. God did it all,
and jesus agreed to. it . .
Further, if in his estate of
humiliation it was nat beneath him
to. J:?e circumcised; to be pre$f!nted
far redeeming before the Lard, as
ather Israelites were; or to. can farm
in all things to. the lav; of the Lord,
as other men did; neither W!jS it .
beneath his c1igrtity to. be lav;fully
cansecrated as priest on earth,
where he was to. begin his wark.
And whether it be more a lowering ,
afjesus to. say that he was baptized
as a preparation far God's anointing
than to. say that he v;as baptized as
an unredeemed first,bam, let the
reader decide. If he taok the very
nature 'afpriests, subject to law,
why call it a law thaught, that in
this nature he canfarmed to the law
under which he 'was made"? The .
objectors themselves say: "As a man
he was a Jew, made of a waman,
made under the law, and was,
therefare, as much subject to law as
any other man made under law."
This is true. But if it dOes not lower
jesus in the light of other thearies,
neither does it lower him in this.
The abjectian is destrayed by its
makers.
c. But jesus is said to. have peen ,
"baptized," while the law called for
a "washing" afthe priest. A
distinction without a difference, this .
is. In Heb. 9:10, the word
"washings" is given (in the English)
for the use af water under the aid
dispensation. But these "washings"
were really "baptisms," for the
Greek says "baptismais" Thus af
the ceremanial rites in Mark 7:4,
where the English says "wash," but
the Greek says "baptize;" so the law
was honored .. for the priest was
"baptized," though "washed..It is:
abjected -
d. that John had no right to
consecrate JesUS: We do not say that
john did so. He "prepared the way
ofthe Lord." As a legal priest he
administered the washing
preparatory to God's anointing hiS
priest; this latter was the' rear
Consecration. ThatJohn had the
right to adininister the washing, is
clear. Far -
1. He was a legal priest by
regular descent. (Luke 1 :5-25, 57-
66). . '
2. He did not act untilJesus, his
Lord, commanded him to. do so,
and gave a reason for his command.
Christ's "suffer it to be so. now," ,
settles all doubts.
3. If it was praper for a leVitical
priest to minister in the ceremony
of redeeming jesus as a first-born,
or in his circumcision,or in the "all
things" in which the law' for him
was fulfilled, it was surely proper
that this greatest of Levitical priests
should officiate in what he was sent
to do, viz., "to prepare the way of.
the Lord," especially when
commanded to act by this Lard. It
was the grandest act ever
by a Levitical priest, perfarmedby
its greatest priest, When Jahn went
as far as he might in intraducing to. '
active duty that priest of the order
which was to supplant his awn
forever, his recagnition af this duty
was,"he must increase, but 1 must
decrease.1>
e. Only ane mote difficulty wili
be notices, Viz.: It is said,"ifJesus
was not consecrated to. active duty
of office except an earth, anel at
jordan, the Old Testament sain\S
had no priest in him;" But - '
(l.) By faith looking farward,
those saints partook of the benefits
af Christ's priesthoqd as truly as tne
New Testament saints do, by faith
looking back to him. See Ac\S
15:18, and Heb. 11.
THE C0UNSEL ot'Chalcedon August/September, 1998
(2.)As.Redeemer, purchasing
the church of God with his own '.
bload; jesus did not offer his
sacrifice until the close of the alel
dispensation. But who thinks of
arguing that therefore the Old
Testament saints had no Redeemer
in Jesus? No inore can it be argued.
that they had no Priest in him.
To conclude:'
We can see our way to but one.
answer to out question, Why was
jesus baptized? [twas the "washinl(
preparatory t9, his anointing, given, .
him as required by the for '
. " cOn$ecrating a to. affice . .The,
hiany human, imperfect
ptecedingjesus, were but types,
symbols, shadows of. the coming ,
perfection, tne better priest. They "
"were many priests because .
were not suffered .cpnti,!ue by
reason of death." "thase
were made without an oath;" God
took no solemn oath far
this (priest, Jesus, was made priest)
with aJ' oath by him that said unto
him, ,The I,o,d swore, and will not.
repent, Thou art.apriest
after the order of Melchisedec."
Hob. 7:20-21. Therefare; his ,.'
baptism, [in thiS sense] no one
ever In it, no one can ,
ever "follow his example," He has
"fulfilled all and
none isIeft to. be fulfilled by others.
Here, as under that other 'jaw by
which a sinner is condemned,
"Christ isthe end of the law far
righteousness to' every one that
believeth,
, Here it is seen that though God 'did
never change the law so as to demand or
admit the "first-born," as such, to
tabernacle service; yet he did change the
law which forbade any but a Levite to be
priest. The priestly prerogative is here
declared to be taken from levi, and given
to Jesus Christ of the tribe of Judah '
forever. The: change is not as io' the first-
born, but as to tktrlbe of the priest . .